[The Glory] Basic Manner in Korea; Age and Year

 

Really In 2006?

I know, right? But yeah, I was a freshman.

Oh god, I just...

I feel like I'm bragging when I talk about this,

but I was born in early 1989.

But I was kind of a prodigy when I was young, so I skipped some grades.

So, should I speak more formally with a prodigy?

Do you like to be formal, then?

06학번이요?

아, 그죠? 06으로 진짜 안 보죠

아, 이게 참

저도 제 자랑 같아서 잘 얘기 안 하는데

사실 제가 빠른 89거든요

근데 어렸을 때 뭐 영재 비슷해 가지고 월반도 좀 하고

그럼 호칭은 선후배 정도로 정리하면 될까요?

그런 호칭 좋아하시는구나?

Do you remember the year in which you were a university freshman?

If you are over 30, it would not be easy to answer it immediately.

If you are under..... envy you... 

The Yeas Used Instead of Age in Korea

You might think, "Basically, is the situation of asking the age common? Even out of public or government office?" The answer is YES in Korea.

One of the reasons is the language system; honorific words and address terms. 

In Korea, you have to use honorific words when talking with a much older person than you. Of course, if it is the first meeting, the other side (the old guy) would use honorific words to you at a high probability. However, in some situations, it is hard to tell who is older than whom. In fact, it's simple just to think it is basic to use honorific words to not-close people unless the others are allowed to talk down. (Oh, one more, unless the other is teenage or younger.) But some don't like to use honorific words for the younger ones. In that case, people might ask you about your age.

The game Go, what Dong-eun and Yeo-jeong are playing in the scene.

Birth Year VS Year of University Entrance

The most common question to figure out the ages of the other is "Which year were you born in?" It could sound very strange to non-Koreans, but it's much easy to remember the age order, comparing ages, because it's fixed.

However, in the above, they're talking about the year of being a university freshman. Because the scene is reflecting their status; university students. It's very common among students to guess and estimate the age of others by the year of university entrance. 

Of course, not all people go to the university at the same age of 20. Some may take one or two years more for entrance permits from their wish schools, and some may decide to go to university after their early 20s. However, except for special cases, in most cases, the year of university entrance becomes the standard over the actual age to decide who will use honorific words to whom.

So, in this regard in the above, talking about the entrance year of the other is quite natural and common among Korean university students.